Arsenal's 15-Year-Old Sensation Max Dowman Tipped as Next Lamine Yamal

Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have a big talent in Max Dowman

Former Crystal Palace owner and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan believes Arsenal have their very own Lamine Yamal in the making in Max Dowman.

The Gunners youngster is highly rated by those at the club and was invited to take part in first-team training sessions last season and is currently on the first-team pre-seaon tour in Singapore at just 15-years-old.

Mikel Arteta is understandably a huge fan of the midfielder, but will be keen to bed him into the first team slowly, as he has done with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri.

"He looks like a very special talent," Jordan said on talkSPORT's Kelly and Jordan show . "I saw him just over a year ago, and I remember speaking to Danny Murphy about him, he was already plugged into him.

"This is a very talented young man, that has the potential to be as good as anything that's out there. I hate to throw these superlatives around because it makes unnecessary headlines for people...

"If he continues on his journey, continues to be focussed and develop, he is in the talent bracket of people like Lamine Yamal. That's the level he's at. This kid is a special, special talent. They'll talk about the levels that he's played at with the U17s, how many goals he's scored for the England U17s.

"But this is a special talent, the kind of player that takes on players, beats them and does it for fun, and produces an end product. He's a very, very gifted player and quite frankly, this is the kind of talent that should be being produced inside the elite academies.

"Rather than hoovering them up for everyone else, they should be producing them themselves. But the fact that Arsenal are producing young players, coming through, getting first-team opportunities and the old adage, 'If you're good enough, you're old enough', plays a part.

"We're seeing these young players get opportunities, we saw Jude Bellingham's ascension, we're seeing his brother [Jobe] ascend, we're seeing other young players.

"[Phil] Foden came through quickly [at Manchester City] and decided not to run away and get an opportunity in another country, wait for his opportunity and play for the best manager in the world, Pep Guardiola.

"But if this boy, Dowman, continues the progress that he's got, he is a superstar. And I get the impression he's got the balance and the outlook, and the backing behind him in terms of the structure of his life, that will give him that opportunity."

When asked about Dowman's display against AC Milan earlier this week, Arteta said: "Very happy with all the kids. I think they are able to play at that level at 15 years old in my opinion because of the environment and culture that is within the team.

"When somebody makes you feel so comfortable and so confident straightaway you can go and do it. At least it gives you the best chance and then you have to have the qualities this kid has to deliver against opposition like this."